Technology, data and business – Page 40
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Metro Report InternationalMelbourne seeks to develop a connected transport living lab
AUSTRALIA: The University of Melbourne’s School of Engineering signed memoranda of understanding on January 6 with public and private-sector partners to develop a ‘connected transport living lab’. A 1·2 km2 area on the edge of Melbourne’s central business district will be fitted with sensors to collect data from motor ...
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Metro Report InternationalTokyo Metro puts ‘translation megaphones’ into service
JAPAN: Tokyo Metro staff at Meiji Jingumae station have started using megaphones that play messages in English, Chinese and Korean. The station on the Chiyoda and Fukutoshin lines is close to several tourist attractions. The Megaphone Translator, developed by Panasonic, plays back pre-recorded phrases automatically following a ...
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Metro Report InternationalIran develops domestic metro supply industry
IRAN: Significant steps have been taken towards establishing a domestic urban rail supply chain, Tehran Urban & Suburban Railway Operation Co’s Chief Executive Dr Ahmadi Bafandeh told the inaugural conference of the Iranian metro supply industry. The event held in the capital during December attracted representatives from ...
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Metro Report InternationalKPMG predicts better use of information and more M&A activity in 2017
The changing market means business as usual will not be an option for UK transport and logistics operators in 2017, according to James Stamp, UK Head of Transport at KPMG. The international professional service group predicts that the UK market will be affected by a number of factors this year.
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Metro Report InternationalPraha tests automatic tram speed control software
CZECH REPUBLIC: Three Škoda 15T trams equipped with automatic speed control entered service on the Praha network on November 21. Together with onboard track lubrication equipment, this aims to minimise wheel squeal, track wear and passenger comfort. The prototypes will be tested until next year, and if the trial proves ...
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Metro Report InternationalComparing suburban rail best practice
INTERNATIONAL: Catalunya regional operator FGC hosted the annual meeting of the International Suburban Rail Benchmarking Group on November 9-11. The event in Barcelona brought together 15 rail operators as part of an international project which aims to identify synergies and drive continuous improvement by providing a confidential ...
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Metro Report InternationalTfL seeks composite conductor rails
UK: As part of a long-term programme to replace London Underground’s steel conductor rails with more energy efficient composite designs, Transport for London is seeking options for conductor rails which could be used on parts of the deep level tube network where clearances are too tight for currently approved conductor ...
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Metro Report InternationalWheel and axle group to be sold to Chinese investor
GERMANY: Georgsmarienhütte Holding GmbH has reached an agreement to sell 100% of its wheel and axle subsidiary GMH Railway Systems to group of Chinese investors led by Full Hill Enterprises Ltd. GMH Railway Systems includes Bochumer Verein Verkehrstechnik which is a certificated wheel and axle manufacturer for China’s high speed ...
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Metro Report InternationalSamsung C&T pulls out of Seoul light rail project
SOUTH KOREA: Samsung C&T has pulled out of a project to build a light rail line to connect the Wirye New Town residential area of southeast Seoul with the Sinsa-dong business area of Gangnam District. The company told Metro Report International that it had decided to withdraw owing to ‘a ...
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Metro Report InternationalBART aims for 'gold standard' in open data
USA: San Francisco’s BART has worked with the Sunlight Foundation to draft an open data policy which it says would make the transport agency ‘the gold standard for data accountability in local government’. The policy envisages the creation of an online portal enabling activists, third-party innovators and ...
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Metro Report InternationalLast-mile app integrates Amtrak, Uber and buses
USA: North Carolina Department of Transportation and technology company TransLoc have launched a three-month pilot of a door-to-door journey planning app which highlights options to use Uber and local public transport services to access nine stations on Amtrak’s Piedmont and Carolinian routes. Users enter their preferred station into the Rider ...
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Metro Report InternationalTowards the Metro of the Future
RGTV: Automation, costs and reliability will be touchstones of metro development over the next 15 to 20 years, according to the panellists convened by the Railway Gazette Group for our latest interactive live debate.Entitled ‘The Metro of the Future’, the debate addressed a number of topics that ...
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Metro Report InternationalMTR Corp issues first green bond
CHINA: MTR Corp has issued its first green bond. Eligible investments for green bonds include works relating to low-carbon transport, energy efficiency, sustainability, climate change, conservation, water management, pollution prevention and noise reduction. ‘As a low-carbon transport operator, we are pleased with the issuance of our first green bond which ...
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Metro Report InternationalLiège tram prequalification restarts
BELGIUM: Three consortia have submitted bids to prequalify for a revised design-build-finance-maintain concession to build the planned 12·5 km tram route in Liège. The three proposals opened on October 12 were submitted by: Alstom with BAM PPP PGGM;CAF, Colas and DIF; Škoda Transportation with Vinci, CFE and Meridam. Société Régionale ...
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Metro Report InternationalBYD enters urban rail market
CHINA: Bus, car and battery manufacturer BYD unveiled its first monorail at a 4·4 km test track at its headquarters in Shenzhen on October 13. SkyRail is the result of a five-year 5bn yuan R&D project and is aimed at small and medium sized cities, as well as tourist ...
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Metro Report InternationalKeolis takes share in Masabi
MASABI: International transport operator Keolis has taken a share in mobile ticketing provider Masabi as part of an investment made with MasterCard, Lepe Partners and existing shareholder MMC Ventures. The combined investment from the four companies amounts to US$12m. Earlier this year Masabi formed partnerships with both ...
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Metro Report InternationalScomi and Škoda Transportation sign partnership
INTERNATIONAL: Czech company Škoda Transportation and Malaysian monorail and bus supplier Scomi Engineering have signed an agreement to collaborate in the development of mass rapid transit and light rail vehicles. ‘This collaboration by both parties will enable Scomi to participate in a wider range of transport projects’, said Kanesan ...
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Metro Report InternationalATO to boost capacity on Paris RER Line A
FRANCE: Alstom Transport has been selected to develop and install automatic train operation on Paris RER Line A under a €20m contract awarded by city transport operator RATP, the Ile-de-France region and transport authority STIF. The introduction of attended ATO that meets Grade of Automation 2 is expected to improve ...